Aggressive Sharks trample Talons, roll to 63-22 victory

The Jacksonville Sharks' London Crawford (right) congratulates fellow receiver Mardy Gilyard after his touchdown against the San Antonio Talons on Saturday night at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena.

Jacksonville Sharks Information

From the very start of Saturday’s home opener, the Jacksonville Sharks clearly wanted to deliver an important lesson — to themselves.

The San Antonio Talons just happened to be in the way at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena as Jacksonville established control early and kept up the pressure in a 63-22 blowout that delighted 10,144 fans.

To make sure, Sharks coach Les Moss decided to accept the opening kickoff after his team won the coin toss, although most teams in the Arena Football League generally defer until the second half.

R.J. Archer led the Sharks (1-1) on a four-play touchdown drive that ended with a 13-yard touchdown pass to London Crawford.

“I was surprised we took the ball first,” Archer said. “I don’t know if that was a mistake or what. We scored first, and we kept it rolling after that. We have the capability to do that.”

Scoring first set the tone.

After trailing at the end of the first quarter in 10 of their last 15 games, dating to last season, the Sharks led 20-0 after the first, and they extended it to 26-0 before San Antonio (0-3) finally got on the board.

To sustain the early pressure, Moss decided to pass on a chip-shot field goal late in the first quarter.

That allowed Archer to throw a seven-yard TD pass to Mardy Gilyard.

And the blowout was on.

Archer threw six touchdown passes, and he ran for another score before Kyle Rowley played the entire fourth quarter.

Crawford caught three touchdown passes. Gilyard had three and Jeron Harvey had one.

“We had to make a statement on offense,” Crawford said. “We needed to prove something. We came out fast, and we fed off that energy.”

Jared McGriff-Culver, who at 6-foot-2, 270 pounds, looks more like a soda machine, ran for two touchdowns, including a 14-yard rumble midway in the second quarter.

The defense seemed to play off the momentum, too.

It held the Talons to two offensive touchdowns, and it closed out the first half with a goal line stand that included Micheaux Robinson’s pass breakup and a sack by Jerry Turner on the final two plays.

Jacksonville led 44-16 at the break.

Terrance Smith intercepted San Antonio’s Mitch Mustain in the end zone to open the second half.